Numerical modeling of oxygen mass transfer from PbO spheres packed bed to liquid lead bismuth eutectic: A venturi-type PbO mass exchanger

A numerical model of oxygen mass transfer from a PbO spheres packed bed into liquid lead bismuth eutectic (LBE) has been developed and implemented in the commercial CFD code CFX. Based on the model, a venturi-type PbO mass exchanger (PbO MX) has been designed. The venturi-type has been selected to create a re-circulation flow from the outlet to the inlet of PbO spheres packed bed in order to avoid the poisoning of PbO surface by dissolved metallic impurities in the LBE circuit. The oxygen concentration at the inlet can be kept high enough by the re-circulation flow to prevent the poisoning of the PbO surface. This is expected to improve the reliability and stability of the PbO MX. The oxygen mass transfer in LBE through the PbO MX and the effect of re-circulation flow on the oxygen concentration are simulated and discussed. The developed CFD model gives a robust design of an oxygen control system, based on PbO MX technology.